'Its Not The Endo The World...'

Firstly I want to start by thanking everyone for continuing to follow my blog. This is my 100th post which is insane! I started this not knowing if anyone would ever read it and now so many of you send me lovely supportive messages which are an amazing lift when I need it. So thank you thank you thank you! Its been a busy week. I've been away training on my Global Talent Programme in Cambridge with my fellow cohort members. Its been tough but I've really enjoyed myself. Not only that but it came at just the right time to provide me with the perfect distraction with the impending operation next week. Naturally my body didn't quite let me forget and I've felt pretty rough especially yesterday when I was feeling horribly sick. Its been the first time in a while that my tummy has been so bloated that I've been unable to do my trousers up and the pain was pretty intense with it too. As always, with the feeling unwell, along came the frustration with it. This diseas...

So March was Endometriosis Awareness month and April is Adenomyosis Awareness month. I'm SO lucky to have both so this month I get to write about my second disease, lucky me! So here are some facts about Ade, and what it means for me in particular.. What is Adenomyosis? It is a chronic disease where the lining of the uterus grows in the muscle layer of the uterus. It shares similarities to that of its evil twin Endometriosis causing pelvic pain, fatigue, bloating, nausea and bowel/bladder function issues. It has a large impact on womens mental health also. Over time the Ade can cause the womb to grow and enlarge in size, causing women to sometimes appear like they are pregnant. It is much less common than Endometriosis with 1 in 100 women suffering rather than the 1 in 10 of Endo. It can be diagnosed via laparoscopy and MRI. For me it has made my womb soft and sponge like rather than tough as a muscle should be. When I had my first laporoscopy back in 2014 the muscle was so...

Happy Friday Endo Warriors! I've touched on how fortunate I am to have the wonderful family and friends that I do in my previous posts, but I thought it deserved its own post. Through all the medication and procedures that I have tried, nothing is more effective than having those around you that care. Let me start by saying that this disease sucks. Like really sucks. And I can handle what it throws at me. The pain. The heart break. The realisation that I'll never carry my own child. But what I struggle with is the strain it puts on all my friends and family. Sometimes I bore myself, repeating daily how I don't feel 100%, feeling like I might as well just have a sign on my forehead stating the fact. All those times that I pull out of meals, or those pre-made plans because I just don't feel up to it. Feeling like a huge disappointment to those around me. I find myself apologising more and more for missed days out or spontaneous trips. Whilst all the time, it...

After another day of horrid pain, and a particularly busy day at work, made longer than expected due to IT issues, I am feeling so very humbled to see so many people reading my posts. Views from all around the world from the UK to the US, Australia, Portugal, Germany, France, Poland and Canada! Wow! Thank you for taking the time to read my story, and I hope it helps at least one of you along your journey. Feel free to comment, even if its just to say hi. Keep strong Endo Warriors. A x

As promised, I thought I would share my experiences with procedures I have tried for my endo and ade. So first up, Uterine Embolisation... In October 2015, I under went a procedure which was primarily for my adenomyosis symptoms. The procedure involved an operation and an overnight stay in hospital but the hope that it would ease some of the agonising symptoms made it worth it.  I already knew the ade was pretty bad for me. When I was diagnosed, the consultant told me that they nearly perforated my womb wall as it was so spongy rather than a strong muscle. Since then I've also been told its one of the most prominent cases of ade that he has seen. The op was done under local anaesthetic and so I was awake the whole time. It involved the surgeons going in through an artery in my groin and pumping in some beads to block off some of the blood vessels in my womb. It was described to me as glue. "We're gluing the vessels". The idea was that this would stop the a...